| By Ken - Nov 19th, 2008 at 11:10 am EST |
Categories: Foreign Policy & Security, Crime & Penal Reform, All Network Posts: Front Page
If piracy is a major problem, or is becoming one, on the high seas then will it become a necessity to begin convoys of commercial vessels?
From AP today:
NEW DELHI – An Indian naval vessel sank a suspected pirate "mother ship" in the Gulf of Aden and chased two attack boats into the night, officials said Wednesday, yet more violence in the lawless seas where brigands are becoming bolder and more violent.
Yesterday AP had a story about the capture of a Saudi oil supertanker:
"This outrageous act by the pirates, I think, will only reinforce the resolve of the countries of the Red Sea and internationally to fight piracy," he said during a visit to Athens. "Piracy is against everybody. Like terrorism it is a disease that has to be eradicated."
As mariners have known for decades that the Pacific rim of fire has been a fertile ground for piracy, especially for private yachts and smaller commercial vessels.
A solution for larger commerical enterprises would be to begin convoying those vessels. It would be a U.N. sponsored multinational naval force because no single country's navy could handle it. The effect would be two fold: Greater cooperation with nations against piracy and insurance rates would go down, which should bring the cost of goods and consumables down too.
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